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The Springfield-Greene County Library District has begun the process of finding an architectural/engineering firm to design and renovate the 41-year-old Brentwood Branch Library, 2214 Brentwood Blvd.

The design and renovation project is estimated to cost about $2 million, and is expected to be funded through private gifts and a capital campaign conducted by the Springfield-Greene County Library Foundation.

Library officials are inviting firms interested in providing design services for the project – including conceptual and final drawings and bid documents – to submit statements of qualifications and proposals to Executive Director Regina Greer Cooper. Officials expect to select a firm by fall 2012. A construction timeline has not been determined.

The one-story Brentwood Branch was last expanded in 1997, to 14,330 square feet. Since then it has become one of the three busiest in the 10-branch library system. It logs more than 260,000 visitors each year, and patrons check out about 550,000 items annually. It houses about 68,000 items including books, CDs, DVDs and public computers with Internet access.

Preliminary plans call for expanding the building to provide more space for youth activities and library materials, installing a more energy-efficient heating and air conditioning system, upgrading electrical wiring, installing a drive-up service window, expanding public parking and refining parking lot entrances and exits.

The Library is in the process of acquiring property adjacent to the existing facility and grounds, which will be incorporated into the design and renovation of the Brentwood Branch.

The library district provides services to about 275,000 residents with 10 branch libraries, a Mobile Library and several cooperative ventures. The system is governed by a board of nine appointed trustees – five from the City of Springfield and four representing Greene County.

Architect/engineering firms interested in learning more about the library district’s request for qualifications can go to thelibrary.org/architectrfq.

Kathleen O’Dell is community relations director for the Springfield-Greene County Library District. She can be reached at kathleeno@thelibrary.org.